Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, Trump's Republican rival for the nomination, said, "Once again, Donald Trump has demonstrated that he hasn't seriously thought through the issues, and he'll say anything just to get attention."

"If Congress were to pass legislation making abortion illegal and the federal courts upheld this legislation, or any state were permitted to ban abortion under state and federal law, the doctor or any other person performing this illegal act upon a woman would be held legally responsible, not the woman," Trump said in the revised statement. "The woman is a victim in this case as is the life in her womb. My position has not changed - like Ronald Reagan, I am pro-life with exceptions."

But even anti-abortion groups took umbrage with Trump's original remarks.

"Mr. Trump's comment today is completely out of touch with the pro-life movement and even more with women who have chosen such a sad thing as abortion," said Jeanne Mancini, the president of the March for Life Education and Defense Fund.

"Being pro-life means wanting what is best for the mother and the baby," she said. "No pro-lifer would ever want to punish a woman who has chosen abortion."